The 10th EU-Morocco Association Council, 23 April Luxembourg

Morocco has been outstandingly successful in maintaining its relationship with the EU over a number of years andin achieving the special advanced status within the EU. The refusal to continue the fisheries agreement with Morocco by a dissenting vote in the EU Parliament  last December. This looks to be  now a temporary upset and discussions  are underway to create a new agreement. The EU agreement  to liberalise agricultural and fisheries products. reducing tarrifs  was a victory and further enhanced  EU Moroccan relations. There have been many statements from EU officials commending Morocco's democratic reforms and stabiltity . Michael Mann, spokesman for High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton commended the positive progress of EU Moroccan relations in a statement to MAP.

The meeting takes place on the sidelines  of the EU Council meeting chaired by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, which  is expected to discuss the situation in Burma/Myanmar after the by-elections on 1 April, and events in Syria, Afghanistan,Mali, Sudan and South Sudan. It is due to adopt conclusions on most of those issues as well as on Guinea-Bissau, the Middle East peace process and Iran.

Morocco with a seat on the UN Security Council is a valued ally in these discussions.

The meeting of ther EU-Moroccan Association Council will take place chaired  on the Moroccan side by  minister delegate to the Foreign Minister Youssef Amrani, and Danish Foreign Minister Villy Sovndal. It will review the successes achieved and the strategy for developing  future relations. The development of this highly successful partnership is a tribute to skilful diplomacy and Morocco's solid achievements.